Copending Canadian Patent Application No. 485,809 filed June 28, 1986 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application discloses a device for applying tape, preferably of the pressure-sensitive adhesive variety, to joints between abutting lengths of drywall panels or other material. The device of that application has a head which holds a roll of tape and also carries appropriate means for cutting the tape when the joint has been covered. A handle is attachable to the head and is used to control movement of the device as it is drawn along the joint whereby tape is drawn from the roll and applied to the joint. The handle carries a trigger mechanism for activating the cutting means.
The head of the device is also provided with an assembly that includes a tape guiding roller and a tape applying roller, the assembly being pivotally attached to the head so that the two rollers will always be adjacent the panels as the device is drawn along the joint. Two different interchangeable assemblies have been disclosed, one including cylindrical guide and applicator rollers for planar joints, the other including a cylindrical guide roller and an inverted V-shaped applicator roller for inside corner joints. In the latter assembly the guide roller is about one-half the width of the applicator roller and serves to preform the tape before it is applied to the joint. Both assemblies work very well at their intended functions.
In the drywall industry most exterior corners are formed by an exterior "bead" which is metallic and is nailed or screwed to the corner and is covered by drywall compound. This bead protects the corner from damage and ensures a straight edge at the corner.
In an analagous situation, but relating to exterior construction, it is common practice to cover the outside of a building with sheathing panels before a decorative siding is applied. The sheathing panels may have insulative properties and it is desirable to prevent air intrusion as much as possible. This means that joints between abutting panels should be sealed, including exterior corners. The most common sealing material is an adhesive tape, typically of about 21/2 inches in width. Such tape is also applied to exterior corners since there are no requirements that would necessitate the use of a metal bead. To date there has been nothing available which would adequately enhance the task of applying adhesive tape to outside or exterior corners, whether of drywall or exterior sheating.